The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) signed a joint study agreement (JSA) with two Japanese companies – INPEX Corporation, JERA Co., and the Japan Oil Gas and Metals National Corporation– to explore the commercial potential of blue ammonia production in the UAE.

The agreement follows a virtual meeting between Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNOC, and H.E. Kajiyama Hiroshi, Japan Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI).

During the meeting, the ministers reviewed joint efforts between both countries to enhance industrial cooperation and drive new opportunities for partnerships in Hydrogen, renewables, and climate change following a series of framework agreements ADNOC signed with Japan’s METI as well as other Japanese companies earlier this year. 

"As we increase our focus on the potential of new lower carbon fuels and navigate the energy transition, the UAE and ADNOC are keen to build and strengthen our existing partnerships and seize growth opportunities with Japan that can help produce more energy with fewer emissions." said Al Jaber. "This joint study agreement with INPEX, JERA and JOGMEC provides a roadmap for us to deepen access to Japanese markets for ADNOC’s products and further strengthen the UAE’s hydrogen value proposition."

The JSA will provide a platform for ADNOC and its partners to explore supplying Japanese utility companies with blue ammonia produced in Abu Dhabi. 

ADNOC is already embarking on a world-scale blue ammonia production facility at the TA’ZIZ Industrial Chemicals Zone in Ruwais which will have a capacity of 1,000 kilotons per annum, and further opportunities in blue ammonia will be explored under the new agreement.

Blue ammonia is made from nitrogen and blue”hydrogen derived from natural gas feedstocks, with the carbon dioxide by-product from hydrogen production captured and stored. Ammonia can be used as a low-carbon fuel across a wide range of industrial applications, including transportation, power generation, and industries including steel, cement and fertilizer production.

In January, the UAE and Japan agreed to cooperate on fuel ammonia and carbon recycling technologies following the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between ADNOC and Japan’s METI.